With BJP leader Arun Jaitley coming under fire from AAP and Congress over allegations of corruption in the DDCA, cricketers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir have come out in support with a series of tweets on Sunday.
The following are their tweets:
In my time with DDCA if I ever came to know of any 'surprising' selection of a player, all I needed to do was to inform @arunjaitley
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 20, 2015
And @arunjaitley Ji would immediately ensure correction and justice for the deserving players at #DDCA
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 20, 2015
Was a nightmare to speak to some others at DDCA but @arunjaitley ji was always available for players in case of any difficulty at any time
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) December 20, 2015
Grossly inappropriate 2 blame @arunjaitley ji 4 corruption in DDCA. He was d one who got Delhi a proper stadium widout taxpayer's money.
— GGF (@GautamGambhir) December 20, 2015
Appalling to note some ex-players blame @arunjaitley ji for all that's wrong in DDCA. Whereas dey enjoyed plum posts in DDCA coz of him.
— GGF (@GautamGambhir) December 20, 2015
The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) is a body that promotes cricket in Delhi and surrounding districts, and organizes cricket tournaments including T20 tournaments. However, it is not a society unlike other cricket bodies, but a private limited company. Around 300 of its 4,600 members are corporates.
Arun Jaitley was the President of the DDCA from 1999 to 2013, during which alleged financial irregularities were committed.
Several DDCA members including former cricketers such as Bishen Singh Bedi, and Kirti Azad, who is also a BJP MP from Darbhanga, Bihar, have alleged numerous irregularities and mismanagement in the running of the association’s affairs.
On September 28, 2012, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office which functions under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, launched an investigation into the allegations based on a complaint by NC Bakshi.
According to the Outlook report, the SFIO found 23 instances of alleged financial irregularities in the transactions of the DDCA between 2006 and 2012. These include misappropriation of funds, non-payment of taxes, not following the tendering route, hiring of tainted auditors and irregularities concerning management of membership, ticketing and others.
You can read our earlier report here.
This tweet aptly summarises the support being extended to Jaitley.
Epic levels of ass-kissing on in this DDCA jhamela. Ex-cricketers, current cricketers, commentators, administrators, journalists.
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) December 20, 2015